USC's Zachariah Branch, Zion Branch to enter NCAA transfer portal
Two more big hits were delivered to the USC Trojans 2025 football roster on Tuesday as wide receiver Zachariah Branch and safety Zion Branch plan to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
On3’s Pete Nakos reported that Zachariah Branch plans to enter the portal. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that both brothers will enter and likely choose their next destination together.
Zachariah Branch tied for the team lead in receptions during the 2024 regular season, grabbing 47 passes for 503 yards and one touchdown. In his two-year career, he caught 78 passes for 823 yards and three touchdowns, along with 11 rush attempts for 87 yards and a score.
Branch was the nation’s best return many in 2023, with 16 punt returns for 332 yards and a touchdown as well as 24 kickoff returns for 442 yards and another score. But he took a step back in that area this season, losing his kick return spot to Makai Lemon during the season and averaging just 5.7 punt-return yards on 13 attempts.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Coach Michael Vick
Former NFL star is college HC
- 2Hot
Zachariah Branch
USC 5-Star hits the portal
- 3
Jaylen Mbakwe
5-Star Alabama freshman staying in Tuscaloosa
- 4
Dan Mullen
Contract details released
- 5
Updated National Title odds
Latest odds on the CFP title chase
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
Zion Branch battled two significant injuries in three years with the Trojans. He’ll finish his career with 41 tackles, including three tackles for loss and a sack. He started the game against Rutgers this season and played nine others, though he saw just three snaps on defense in the season finale against Notre Dame and 18 total snaps over the final three games of the year.
This is another hit to a USC wide receiver room that lost veteran Kyron Hudson and Duce Robinson to the portal already. The Trojans signed four outstanding wide receivers in the 2023 recruiting class and all were expected to have big seasons in 2024. It was an up-and-down year for all of them and now both Robinson and Branch are in the transfer portal, leaving Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane on the roster.
